Fantastic cooling choice

December 2013

Make fans your first option to cool your home this summer and manage your energy bill.

Ausgrid’s energy efficiency expert Paul Myors said that while fans don’t lower the temperature, they can make a room feel about three degrees cooler, by circulating the air.

Fans are the cheapest and most efficient form of cooling, and with heating and cooling costs making up about a quarter of the average household’s energy use, it makes sense to consider your options.

Ceiling fans cost about two cents per hour to run, or as little as $6 over summer. In comparison air conditioners cost between 30 to 40 cents an hour and can increase your summer bill by more than $150.

Remember to turn your ceiling fans to the summer forward rotation setting, which efficiently circulates the cool air around the room.

Pedestal fans are great because you can move them to the room you’re using. They’re also the cheapest to buy, with prices starting at around $20.

Another option is a motorised fan that’s installed in your roof to keep the whole house cool for about 6 cents an hour. They create cool airflow throughout your house by drawing air into the roof cavity and out through vents, meaning you’re less reliant on the air conditioner.